Sidewalk Sam honored by Boston Human Rights office

When the Boston chapter of Youth for Human Rights International
(YHRI) had to chose someone to award as a human rights hero there was
simply no competition. The only logical choice was the man who
personifies “Freedom of Expression” — and that’s “Sidewalk Sam.”

“Sam,” whose real name is Robert Guillemin,
is not only a fine artist in his own right, but he has taken it on
himself to enrich the lives of fellow Bostonians through “Art Street
Inc.,” a non-profit organization that use art as a catalyst to bring
people together in support of community issues.

As Guillemin describes it on his website, www.sidewalksam.com:
“I chose to bring art to the street and into daily life. I love
crouching on the sidewalk, kneeling at the feet of people and having
art look up to us for a change. I want art to serve people as a
natural part of everyday life. I think art should bring people closer
to each other and inspire people to a better vision of society.”

His web site goes on to describe his unique views and activities in these terms:

“Using the streets as a canvas, Sidewalk
Sam has rallied people around solutions to social problems, addressing
issues like poverty, diversity, children and family and the
environment. Now in a wheelchair, Sidewalk Sam still thinks big. He
organizes large events where lots of people come together and create
big artworks to show their common spirit. ‘I love to get people
involved with each other’, he says. ‘Art can bring society together.’
He adds, ‘Everything in modern life is so depersonalized — I’m just
trying to personalize it a little.'”